Pacemaker Fishing Forum

Was waiting to do a double report for our trip to Fletcher's but weather conditions didn't allow that past Thursday and I forgot about posting this report but better late than never!

Carl and myself loaded up the boat and began the hour and so odd minutes drive to Spa Creek in Annapolis for the annual perch migration hoping all this warm weather would start their run early. We arrived at the spot creek launch at 11 or so and after a few minutes trying to figure out the electronic launch pass machine we were off with near perfect conditions. Air temp was hovering above 70* and water was nice and green. This being my first white perch trip with Carl and hearing so many good things from Dan about last years trips I was optimistic about beating Ernie's record of a 300 fish cooler!

The wonder-boy himself at the helms!


We started out in a spot that has produced beautifully for Carl in the past and came up empty handed, they are outside the creeks he says so off we went! Motoring through the beautiful waterfront properties Carl would tell me about all the spots that had produced for him in the past with great detail, I'm sure if I asked he could have told me how many fish, when and on what he caught from each spot! The man has a photographic memory when it comes to fish!

We stopped at Weems (sp?) Creek next to fish some docks at the mouth and also came up empty handed, where were all the fish we wondered? Following Ernie's advice we headed past the Rt. 50 bridge to fish the main river docks. Things were looking more promising as we were in deeper water and hoping they were still in transition on structure with quick access to deep and shallow water. Every nice set of docks we would motor up too it seemed would quickly rise and turn into a flat with water not quite enough to fish... We did find one set of docks past the bridge where out conditions were met but still no perch, what was going on here??

Back to Weems Creek Carl says! We were to try some spots in the back of the creek, we fish a beautiful laydown that would have held tons of bass if the water were fresh, after repeated cast to spots that should hold perch, nothing... Further back we would have to go. While we were motoring back Carl told me stories of a certain spot called "The Tiki Bar" and how many good fish have come from it and I was curious to see this for myself. We arrived at the Tiki bar after hitting another spot refusing to cooperate.. After a few cast with no hits I decided to cast between two pilings in a last ditch effort for a catch and was soon rewarded when something big took my beetle spin and took off, rod bent, drag screaming I thought I had hooked up to a striper! But what I thought was a striper rolled and looked like a catfish? It wasn't until Carl got the net out that I realized it was a pickerel! I know Carl had told me there were pickerel in here but I thought he was mistaken, no way a pickerel could live in brackish waters I said but boy was I wrong! 

This was the only fish of the day but Carl and I felt accomplished and know next trip will be more fruitful!